Historically yes; as for game design it’s entirely dependent on balance. A Yumi focus cavalry archer has many options.
If you really want to talk history, then we’ll have to get into the weeds about undersized horses that couldn’t even gallop with an armored rider, no tradition or firing backwards while moving on horseback, barely any cavalry tactics, and reliance on leather and butted mail for most of the period.
Shouldn’t mongolians then get lower tier horses then since they were smaller and less developed like japan then?
Bro, mongolian horses were freaks of nature that could hold almost as much as a camel on their back while being small enough to eat grass. The mogols had a system of communication to coordinate multi prong cavalry assualts. The keshigs were very much a heavy cavalry due to them bullying the chinese onto making them armor for riders and mounts. The would take 3 to 5 time the number of horses they actually needed to travel upwards of 100km per day in an age 40km was impressive.
You’re comparing THAT, to Japanese horses that which couldn’t even gallop under the weight of the fairly light samurai armor. The Japanese cavalry was, according to visiting europeans, something more like a mobile infantry. It has no business in the same room as mogol cavalry.
3 Likes
Please, think about what AoE2 actually is before adding random anime units
Alright, first things first — let’s remember what AoE2’s concept actually is.
The game has always been about:
Unique gimmick units (a few special civ-defining ones), and
Regular units empowered by civ bonuses that make them stronger than other civs’.
Now we’re adding “regional units,” which is fine if done carefully.
But please — instead of endlessly adding new units, it’s usually better to enhance existing ones.
A field full of brand-new fantasy units fits AoE4’s design philosophy, not AoE2’s.
(That’s why the 3K’s “Hui Guang Cavalry” felt completely ridiculous.)
Also, let’s stop pretending Ashigaru is some sacred proper noun.
It literally just means footman, recruit, or soldier.
Teppo Ashigaru translates directly to iron cannon foot soldier.
Pikeman is Yari Ashigaru, Archer is Yumi Ashigaru, Hand Cannoner is Teppo Ashigaru.
Nothing mystical there.
And Kyūsenshi… what is that, an anime subclass?
Feels like something ripped from a shōnen manga, not a medieval Japanese army.
Japan’s military changed drastically before and after the shogunate.
In the Sengoku period — when samurai armies actually existed —
Japan’s warfare revolved around feudal lords raising ashigaru foot soldiers.
But in earlier centuries, warfare was small-scale — a few hundred nobles on horseback shooting arrows. (and it was rather ceremonial, not fast, nor fierce, it was just local)
Samurai and yabusame belong to entirely different eras.
So, if we really wanted to be historically accurate,
Japanese civs in AoE2 should have normal Cavalry Archers in Castle Age,
but by Imperial, both CA and Scouts should be disabled.
Instead of upgraded Knights, they’d have mounted samurai.
But here’s the thing:
This isn’t a historical documentary.
It’s a game inspired by history, not enslaved by it.
You don’t build civ identity by throwing in obscure historical trivia.
You use a shared gameplay template and season it with a few authentic “flavor” elements.
3 Likes
Add Ninjas. They are already in editor.
Tweak their stats. Add an ability to throw smoke grenade at the ground like mangonel line. But has a cool down of 60 seconds. The area will be covered in smoke for 5 seconds. Enemy units that enters the area will lose 3 LOS for 15 seconds. /s
[Inspired by Mounted Trebuchet]
1 Like
… no that inclusion to aoe4 was terrible and is still terrible here. If you want japanese ninja, they’ll be the IRL versions. Weak, cheap infantry with a bonus damage vs buildings, villagers and monks.